Destinations

The final word information to Norwegian Cruise Line ships and itineraries

Searching for a cruise the place you are able to do what you need, everytime you need, with out numerous construction and guidelines? Norwegian Cruise Line may very well be your model.

The Miami-based cruise line pioneered the thought of “freestyle cruising” — cruising with out inflexible eating schedules, gown codes and formal nights — and it’s nonetheless the go-to line for vacationers who desire a floating resort expertise with an informal, laissez-faire vibe.

As a substitute of some large foremost eating places with mounted seating instances, Norwegian ships supply a variety of eateries and no assigned seating instances — simply make a reservation. When it’s meal time, if you wish to gown up, fantastic. There’s no rule saying it’s essential to, although.

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Norwegian vessels additionally supply plenty of choices for daytime enjoyable however are notably well-known for night leisure. You’ll discover every thing from music halls with Beatles cowl bands and dueling piano bars to theaters with among the most elaborate exhibits at sea — together with some big-name Broadway productions.

Norwegian ships are additionally loaded with bars, lounges and nightclubs, together with always-busy casinos. Put all of it collectively, and you’ve got vessels with a really energetic ambiance — notably at evening. If you happen to needed to examine Norwegian ships to one thing on land, you’d in all probability say they have been like floating variations of the on line casino resorts you discover in Las Vegas.

Simply to be clear, Norwegian is a big-ship line. Its largest vessels are among the many greatest cruise ships at sea (they should be, to accommodate every thing talked about above). If you’d like an intimate cruise expertise, Norwegian in all probability isn’t a good selection.

That stated, the road does supply some smaller ships that aren’t fairly as large and bustling as its giants.

Norwegian can be a mass-market model, not a luxurious cruise operator. Nonetheless, as we’ll clarify under, it presents a variety of lodging, a few of which fall squarely within the luxurious section. In some circumstances, its ships have an unique space filled with high-end cabins and suites known as The Haven that comes with its personal non-public swimming pools, lounge areas and even eating places.

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In brief, if you wish to flip a Norwegian cruise right into a luxurious expertise, you are able to do that, too. Norwegian actually is the road the place you make the journey what you need it to be.

Associated: Which cruise model is best for you?

3 issues TPG loves about Norwegian Cruise Line

  • The do-what-you-want freestyle vibe.
  • The wide selection of eating places, bars and nightspots.
  • The stellar leisure, together with Broadway exhibits.

What we might do with out

  • The sky-high further costs.

The Norwegian Cruise Line fleet

Norwegian’s latest ship, Norwegian Prima, debuted in 2022. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian is the world’s fourth-largest cruise line by passenger capability, with 18 ships that collectively supply 53,681 berths.

Smaller solely than Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, the model has change into more and more recognized for having among the greatest, most amenity-filled vessels at sea. The road doesn’t simply function large ships, although. Greater than half of its fleet is comprised of vessels that, by at the moment’s requirements, are thought of nearly midsize.

Certainly, Norwegian is basically two cruise traces in a single. The road’s eight latest ships are large, bustling floating megaresorts that may carry upwards of three,000 to 4,000 passengers at double occupancy (and much more with each berth stuffed). At round 143,000 to just about 170,000 tons, all eight at present rank among the many 50 greatest cruise ships on this planet (though their rankings will shift downward as extra large ships debut).

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Nonetheless, Norwegian’s 10 older ships are rather more modest in dimension, measuring round 75,000 to 94,000 tons and carrying nearer to 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

Norwegian thus appeals each to cruisers who like an enormous resort vibe and people who choose one thing extra modest. The important thing, relying in your tastes, is getting on the precise ship within the fleet.

On the big-ship finish of the spectrum, Norwegian’s 4 comparatively new Breakaway Plus-class vessels — Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Pleasure and Norwegian Escape — are the road’s premier choices. Whereas not fairly as large as Royal Caribbean’s large, Oasis-class ships, they’re firmly within the pantheon of the world’s cruising giants. They’re the Norwegian vessels most full of eating places, bars, leisure and over-the-top points of interest.

Unveiled in 2019, Norwegian Encore is, notably, the twentieth greatest cruise ship on this planet as of this story’s publishing (it should drop within the rankings over the approaching years as extra megaships debut). At 169,116 tons, it’s greater than all however one Carnival ship. Solely Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have a major variety of greater vessels.

One step down in dimension from the Breakaway Plus ships are the still-quite-large Breakaway-class ships — Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway — in addition to the one-of-a-kind Norwegian Epic and the lately unveiled Norwegian Prima.

Round 17% smaller than Norwegian’s greatest vessels, Prima is the primary of six sister ships that the road will roll out between now and 2027 which can considerably change the composition of its fleet. Whereas not the largest vessels within the Norwegian fleet, these ships can be notably full of eating places, bars, leisure venues and decktop points of interest. In addition they mark a extra upscale flip for the road, with extra space per passenger than earlier Norwegian ships and many suites.

Associated: I have been on practically each Norwegian ship. Listed below are my first impressions of Norwegian Prima

Norwegian’s 10 smaller vessels break down amongst 5 lessons, however many are roughly the identical dimension and supply related facilities.

Some older Norwegian Cruise Line ships, such because the 77,104-ton Norwegian Sky, are lower than half the scale of the road’s newer vessels. MICHEL VERDURE/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

One notable outlier among the many smaller ships is the two,186-passenger Delight of America. Sporting a patriotic U.S. theme (you’ll discover venues named after Thomas Jefferson and John Adams), and a definite array of lounges and leisure, it’s the one large cruise vessel primarily based year-round in Hawaii.

Delight of America notably operates with a largely U.S. crew, in step with laws governing cruise itineraries that solely embody U.S. ports.

Associated: Our tackle the brand new Norwegian Encore

Locations and itineraries

Norwegian sails nearly in every single place on this planet, however its heaviest presence is within the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska.

In a typical summer time, the road will deploy practically half its ships to Europe whereas sending a number of extra to the West Coast to sail to Alaska from Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seward, Alaska. It’ll additionally function journeys to Bermuda from New York Metropolis and Boston, normally with two ships, and journeys to the Bahamas and the Caribbean out of Miami — once more, normally with two ships.

Through the winter, the road will transfer lots of its vessels to North America to function sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas. It additionally sends a number of ships to Asia, Australia and South America, and it’ll sometimes maintain a single vessel in Europe, too.

As talked about above, the road additionally operates one ship (Delight of America) in Hawaii year-round. It’s the one cruise line to supply year-round voyages in Hawaii.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Delight of America, an outlier among the many line’s ships, sails year-round in Hawaii. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

In North America, Norwegian ships sail out of Boston; New York Metropolis; Miami; Tampa; San Juan, Puerto Rico; New Orleans; San Diego; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Seattle; Honolulu; Vancouver, British Columbia; Quebec Metropolis; and Seward, Alaska.

In Europe, Norwegian ships sail out of Amsterdam; Stockholm; Copenhagen; Southampton, England; Reykjavik; Lisbon, Portugal; Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Venice, Italy; Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); and Istanbul.

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Who sails Norwegian Cruise Line?

Sizzling tub on Norwegian Encore. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian appeals to vacationers who desire a big-resort expertise at sea with plenty of choices for eating and leisure. In that, it’s much like Royal Caribbean — maybe its closest competitor.

Nonetheless, not like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian hasn’t retained any of the trimmings of old-style cruising. There are not any formal nights, as you’ll nonetheless discover on Royal Caribbean ships, or gown codes. Norwegian has additionally completely performed away with the idea of massive foremost eating places with mounted seating.

Due to that, Norwegian is widespread with people who find themselves looking for flexibility — freedom to eat when they need, with whom they need and to decorate nonetheless they need, for positive, but additionally extra freedom on the whole to simply set their very own schedule day and evening.

Norwegian cruises are very unstructured holidays, and that’s by design.

Like Royal Caribbean ships, Norwegian vessels have an inordinate quantity of teen- and tween-friendly points of interest — every thing from among the largest waterslides at sea to the one go-kart tracks on the ocean. That makes them notably interesting to households, together with multigenerational teams. Households are a giant a part of Norwegian’s enterprise.

It’s not simply households that flock to Norwegian, although. The road’s ships are designed to supply a little bit one thing for everybody, and thus they enchantment to a large demographic, together with {couples} of all ages and even solo vacationers (the road has been a frontrunner in including solo cabins to ships in recent times). In addition they draw clients with a variety of incomes.

At their core, Norwegian ships are mass-market ships, with entry-level cabins which might be inexpensive to middle-class vacationers. Nonetheless, overlaid throughout most vessels are high-end suites and providers which might be at a luxurious stage, and the road attracts variety of luxury-seeking vacationers.

The unique, keycard-accessed suite advanced known as The Haven (discovered on 12 of Norwegian’s 18 ships) comes with non-public lounges, swimming pools and different tony options. It’s primarily a small, luxurious vessel that has been planted atop in any other case middle-class, mass-market megaships. These complexes enchantment to well-heeled vacationers who desire a luxurious cruising expertise whereas additionally getting all of the enjoyable points of interest, leisure and eating venues solely a mass-market megaship can supply.

Cabins and suites

Norwegian is understood for providing a variety of lodging on its ships. You’ll discover every thing from comparatively low-cost, windowless inside cabins that measure as little as 135 sq. toes (good for the funds traveler) to large, multi-room suites which might be greater than 50 instances that dimension.

On the excessive finish, the lodging are aimed toward prosperous vacationers who, for no matter motive, choose the megaship expertise to that of a luxurious ship, they usually really are among the many most spectacular lodging at sea.

Some, resembling the enormous Backyard Villas discovered on six Norwegian ships — Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Daybreak and Norwegian Star — sprawl over hundreds of sq. toes and have as many as three bedrooms plus separate dwelling rooms and eating rooms.

The Backyard Villas discovered on six Norwegian Cruise Line ships have three bedrooms with sweeping views. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

The Backyard Villas even have non-public out of doors solar decks and courtyards with scorching tubs. Moreover, the Backyard Villas on Norwegian Daybreak and Norwegian Star embody non-public out of doors eating areas and steam rooms.

Among the many commonest kinds of cabins discovered on Norwegian Cruise Line ships are normal balcony staterooms such because the one proven right here. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Relying on the ship, prime suites can include perks resembling non-public butlers and concierges who attend to your each want, entry to a non-public restaurant, a non-public suite lounge and solar deck, reserved seating in leisure venues and precedence boarding and disembarkation.

On greater than half of Norwegian’s ships, most of the prime suites are a part of The Haven. Billed as an upscale “ship inside a ship” and aimed toward luxurious vacationers, The Haven is situated on the very prime of vessels and infrequently comes with non-public lounges, swimming pools, sunning areas and even eating places.

The unique The Haven suite advanced on Norwegian Bliss features a non-public pool space. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian can be heralded for kicking off the development of extra solo cabins on cruise ships. In 2010, it debuted a whole zone of small studio cabins for one — 128 in all — on its then-new, 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic, and it has since added them to seven extra new ships.

The studio cabins are tiny at simply 100 sq. toes. Nonetheless, they’re fantastically designed to maximise cupboard space. On the ships which have them, they’re clustered round an unique Studio Lounge the place solo vacationers can mingle at each day joyful hour gatherings.

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Eating places and eating

Norwegian was an early pioneer of the thought of giving cruisers plenty of selections in terms of eating places on ships, and even its smallest vessels supply a variety of choices.

On Norwegian’s lately constructed Breakaway Plus-class ships, there are as much as 21 locations to seize a chunk, starting from high-end French eating places and steakhouses to informal pubs.

Each vessel has two or three foremost eating places and an informal buffet the place meals are included within the fare — the latter is normally known as the Backyard Cafe.

Different included-in-the-fare venues discovered on some ships embody O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill, an informal pub; an out of doors bar and grill known as Topsiders; and informal Asian eating places that go by many names together with Shanghai’s Noodle Bar, Shogun, Ginza and Bamboo.

Additionally, each ship has a least 4 and infrequently many extra extra-charge eateries. Two discovered throughout your entire fleet are Cagney’s, the road’s signature steakhouse, and Le Bistro, a fantastic French restaurant. Each ship additionally has an Italian restaurant, known as Onda by Scarpetta or La Cucina. There are also churrascaria eating places known as Moderno on most Norwegian vessels.

Ribeye steak is among the many menu selections at Cagney’s steakhouses on Norwegian Cruise Line ships. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

On some ships, you’ll additionally discover Ocean Blue, a seafood restaurant; The District Brew Home, a gastropub serving craft beers; and a Mexican spot known as both Los Lobos or Los Lobos Cantina. Each vessel has some type of sushi restaurant, typically known as Sushi or Wasabi, and there are hibachi-style teppanyaki eating places on practically each Norwegian vessel.

You would possibly even discover Starbucks shops on some ships (the brand new Norwegian Prima has two). Additionally, some ships have non-public eating places only for passengers staying in The Haven.

A number of the extra-charge eating places include a flat payment (the teppanyaki retailers are $39 per particular person, not together with the price of drinks). Nonetheless, most are a la carte, with generally hefty pricing. One factor it’s essential know upfront about occurring a Norwegian cruise is that there are numerous further costs — and generally fairly excessive further costs — on the road’s ships, notably for issues like eating places.

A surf-and-turf dish at Ocean Blue that mixes an 8-ounce filet mignon with a lobster tail prices $49, for instance. If you happen to simply order a complete lobster, you’ll be out $39. The least costly entree on the menu, a roasted cauliflower steak, is $19.

Most Norwegian Cruise Line ships have a teppanyaki restaurant. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

If you understand you wish to eat at a number of extra-charge eating places throughout a single voyage, you should purchase one among a number of eating packages that supply meals at a reduction.

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Leisure and actions

Few traces supply as broad a spread of leisure and actions on their ships as Norwegian. The road’s greatest vessels supply a number of leisure venues, from theaters to comedy golf equipment; a variety of deck-top points of interest; giant casinos; full-service spas; and even digital actuality points of interest. You’ll additionally discover a seemingly countless array of bars, lounges and nightspots.

Theaters and exhibits

Broadway musicals resembling “Kinky Boots” are among the many leisure choices on Norwegian Cruise Line ships. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Leisure is among the core areas the place Norwegian excels, and should you’re the type of one that loves nights out with dwell music and energetic performances in your holidays, you’re going to like the road.

A lot of Norwegian’s greatest ships have state-of-the-art theaters as large as these you’d discover on Broadway, with big-name productions to match.

Norwegian Encore has the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” and Norwegian Bliss has the Tony Award-winning “Jersey Boys.”

In some circumstances, the Broadway exhibits are lower down barely from the unique variations, and the casts aren’t fairly as seasoned as what you’ll discover on Broadway. Nonetheless, these are high quality productions. One of the best half is they’re solely free. Examine that with the tons of of {dollars} you’d spend to take your loved ones to a present in New York Metropolis.

The Cavern Membership on Norwegian Encore. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian ships are also jam-packed with music venues. Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Pleasure and Norwegian Epic, as an example, have the Cavern Membership, a replica of the British membership that gave rise to the Beatles. It comes full with a canopy band that performs the group’s biggest hits.

There are additionally Howl on the Moon dueling piano bars on some Norwegian ships, and there’s the energetic Q Texas Smokehouse discovered on Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Pleasure (a music-and-food idea that pairs dwell nation music with barbecue).

As well as, a number of Norwegian ships supply dinner theater venues with circus-type productions, and one vessel, Norwegian Getaway, contains a magic-infused dinner theater present in a steampunk-inspired house known as The Illusionarium.

A number of ships additionally supply comedy membership leisure.

Different inside points of interest and actions

An out of doors promenade referred to as The Waterfront on a number of Norwegian ships options restaurant and bar seating. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Along with leisure areas, the interiors of Norwegian ships are loaded with different venues the place passengers can sit back and let free day and evening.

All however one Norwegian ship (Delight of America) has a on line casino, and on the road’s greater vessels, they’re enormous operations. The on line casino on Norwegian Encore has greater than 300 slot machines and 26 desk video games (together with blackjack, roulette, poker and craps), plus its personal bar.

On the road’s large Breakaway-class and Breakaway Plus-class ships, the on line casino — together with a big proportion of all onboard eating places, bars and golf equipment — sprawls throughout three central decks related by an atrium-like house referred to as 678 Ocean Place (the title derives from the situation of the decks, which on every ship are decks 6, 7 and eight). At evening, these three-deck complexes change into bustling locations.

The Breakaway- and Breakaway Plus-class ships have modern out of doors promenades known as The Waterfront lined with seating for a lot of eating places and bars. The Waterfront is situated on Deck 8 of every of the ships, which is among the foremost decks for eating places on all of them.

Just like the Breakaway and Breakaway-plus lessons, the brand new Prima class of ships additionally has a energetic zone that mixes on line casino house, bars, eateries and leisure that sprawls throughout decks 6, 7 and eight.

As well as, Norwegian Prima and two different comparatively new Norwegian vessels — Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Pleasure — have modern gaming and digital actuality zones known as Galaxy Pavilion.

There’s nothing fairly like Galaxy Pavilion within the cruise world. The venue has a tremendous array of high-tech digital actuality experiences, together with extremely life like race automobile simulators (on Norwegian Encore, there are eight in a row alongside one wall), dangle gliding simulators, digital mazes and a digital actuality “Jurassic Park” journey.

A digital actuality recreation on the Galaxy Pavilion on Norwegian Encore. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

The Galaxy Pavilion on Norwegian Encore is the largest of all of them. Amongst added options, it features a 45-minute escape room expertise laced with particular results. Themed round a Spanish galleon, it’s designed to be performed by as much as six folks at a time.

Simply be warned that you simply’ll pay a hefty payment to play within the Galaxy Pavilion. A weeklong move to the venue will set you again $199 per particular person. There are also hourlong passes accessible for $29 per particular person, or you’ll be able to pattern a single journey for $8 (apart from the escape room, which is priced individually at $15 per particular person).

There’s additionally a bowling alley on Norwegian Epic.

Norwegian ships additionally all have Mandara Spas, which might be fairly large on the larger vessels, and there are health facilities on each ship.

Deck-top points of interest

What you’ll discover on the highest decks of Norwegian ships will differ fairly a bit relying on the vessel. The road’s smaller ships may have no less than one or two swimming pools, sunning areas and normally a sports activities court docket space — however not all that a lot else.

The large ships are a distinct story.

On the road’s Breakaway-, Breakaway Plus- and Epic-class ships, you’ll discover large waterslides and kiddie splash zones and, in some circumstances, much more over-the-top points of interest resembling go-kart tracks and laser tag arenas.

The go-kart tracks (now on Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Pleasure) are rapidly changing into Norwegian’s signature can-you-believe-this-is-on-a-ship attraction, they usually really are spectacular. The most important of them, on Norwegian Prima, is almost 1,400 toes lengthy and sprawls over three decks.

Notice that that is some critical go-karting. The automobiles that Norwegian makes use of can hit speeds as much as 32 miles per hour. Each the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Encore speedways additionally characteristic new, middle-of-the-track statement areas the place your loved ones and mates can cheer you on to victory — and even shoot you with “lasers” that’ll offer you a lift of energy.

Laser tag is the newest rage on Norwegian Cruise Line ships. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

The open-air laser tag arenas are also important venues which might be not like something you’ll discover atop the ships of different traces. The one on Norwegian Encore, which is the biggest laser tag area ever placed on a ship, is themed across the misplaced metropolis of Atlantis and spans the again of the vessel.

As is the case with the Galaxy Pavilion points of interest talked about above, the go-kart and laser tag experiences on Norwegian ships don’t come low-cost. You’ll pay $15 per particular person for an eight-lap romp on the go-karts. Becoming a member of a five-minute laser shootout prices $10 per particular person. In each circumstances, you should purchase a weeklong move for $199.

Norwegian Breakaway is one among a handful of Norwegian ships which have a ropes course on the highest deck. There’s additionally a miniature golf course proper under it. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

The highest decks of some Norwegian ships — largely the larger ones — even have a ropes course, a climbing wall or each. Some vessels even have miniature golf programs.

You’ll discover an unique, extra-charge, adults-only VIP sunning space on seven Norwegian ships known as Vibe Seashore Membership. The most important of those areas is on Norwegian Encore, the place Vibe Seashore Membership is an expansive non-public lounge with a full-service bar, cabanas and two scorching tubs designed to carry as much as 270 folks — way over on different ships.

For these with cash to burn (pricing on Norwegian Encore lately was $99 per particular person for a day move), the Vibe Seashore Golf equipment are beautiful, secluded deck-top hideaways. Nonetheless, there’s a draw back for everybody else on board the ships which have them, which is that they take away from the deck-top lounge house accessible to everyone else.

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Kids’s applications

As is typical for big-ship cruise traces, Norwegian has an intensive kids’s program, with applications and actions for youngsters as younger as 6 months by way of the age of 17.

The center of this system, known as Splash Academy, brings free, supervised actions each day for youngsters ages 3 to 12. The road splits kids right here up into three age teams: Turtles (ages 3 to five), Seals (ages 6 to 9) and Dolphins (ages 10 to 12), they usually every have their very own age-appropriate actions starting from treasure hunts to online game competitions. On many ships, there are intensive devoted areas for the completely different teams.

Whereas the free programming ends at 10:30 p.m., you’ll be able to pay further to go away your children at Splash Academy previous 10:30 p.m. till 1:30 a.m., when it’s billed because the Late Evening Enjoyable Zone.

Entourage is a teen-only hangout on Norwegian Encore (proven right here) and different Norwegian Cruise Line ships. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian additionally has rooms on its ships for infants and toddlers ages 6 months to three years. Known as Guppies, this system presents mother and father a spot to play with their youngest kids, with occasional youth staff-led actions and video games. Nonetheless, mother and father should stay with their kids. Just one ship, Norwegian Escape, has a Guppies Nursery program the place mother and father can drop off their littlest kids for supervision through the day (for a payment).

Norwegian additionally presents devoted teen zones and programming on ships for youngsters ages 13 to 17. Known as Entourage, the teenager zone is a spot for teenagers to hang around, dance and play video games, and it’s supervised by counselors who plan actions and challenges.

What to know earlier than you go

Required paperwork

A passport is required for all cruises leaving from a non-U.S. port and all Panama Canal sailings (no matter departure port). If you happen to’re a U.S. citizen, you don’t want a passport for many sailings from U.S. ports (together with sailings to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Mexican Riviera and Alaska).

As a substitute, you’ll be able to journey with a state-certified start certificates or different proof of citizenship and a driver’s license or different government-issued picture identification. That stated, Norwegian strongly recommends that every one vacationers deliver a passport.

Passports should be legitimate for no less than six months after your journey, and the title in your reservation should be precisely because it’s printed in your passport or different official proof of nationality.

Gratuities

Norwegian provides an automated service cost of $16 to $20 per particular person per day to last payments, relying in your cabin class. If you happen to’re sad with the service you obtain, you’ll be able to alter this quantity downward earlier than disembarking on the visitor providers desk. (It’s also possible to improve the quantity if desired.) As well as, a 20% gratuity is added to the invoice at bars, extra-charge specialty eating places and ship spas.

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Wi-Fi

Norwegian has been rolling out quicker Wi-Fi methods throughout its fleet in recent times, so now you can stream video on ships.

Pricing adjustments over time, however the quickest “premium” service on Norwegian vessels lately was priced at $29.50 per particular person per day, should you purchased it upfront (the value was $34.99 if bought on board). Norwegian additionally presents a cheaper plan that doesn’t permit video streaming for $25.50 if bought upfront ($29.99 if purchased on board).

A fair cheaper plan that solely permits entry to key social websites (Fb, Twitter, Instagram, and so forth.) is offered for $12.50 per day if purchased upfront ($14.99 on board).

This pricing is sort of a bit greater than what another traces, resembling Carnival or Princess, cost for Wi-Fi. Princess lately was charging $9.99 per day for streaming speeds.

Associated: Wi-Fi on ships actually is getting higher

Carry-on drinks coverage

Norwegian means that you can deliver bottles of your individual wine or Champagne on board, however it should cost you a hefty corkage payment of $15 per bottle for the privilege — even should you plan to drink the bottle in your room. It is a extra draconian coverage than you’ll discover at most traces. Most traces permit passengers to deliver no less than a bottle or two of their very own wine on board at no cost.

Smoking coverage

On all ships, smoking (together with e-cigarette smoking) is simply allowed in designated out of doors areas, cigar lounges (for cigar smoking solely) and casinos. It’s forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies. Passengers caught smoking of their cabins can be fined $250 per incidence.

Laundry

In contrast to many cruise vessels, Norwegian ships wouldn’t have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks for passenger use. As a substitute, the road presents extra-charge laundry and dry cleansing providers.

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Electrical retailers

All cabins on Norwegian vessels have normal North American-style, 110-volt retailers and European-style, 220-volt retailers. Some cabins even have USB ports.

Forex

The foreign money used on all Norwegian itineraries is U.S. {dollars}. All vessels function on a cashless system with any onboard purchases you make posting robotically to your onboard account. You’ll obtain a cruise card you need to use to make costs. This identical card additionally helps you to into your cabin.

Ingesting age

The official consuming age on Norwegian ships is 21. That stated, passengers who’re 18 to twenty can buy and eat beer or wine on ships in worldwide waters with permission from mother and father or authorized guardians. The guardian or authorized guardian should be on board and signal a waiver at visitor providers. The decrease consuming age in worldwide waters doesn’t apply throughout sailings in Alaska and Hawaii.

Gown code

Norwegian Cruise Line stands out as the most laid-back line on the market in terms of gown codes. You may principally put on no matter you need, everytime you need.

The road particularly says that informal put on (assume: khakis, denims, shorts and informal shirts for males; informal attire, skirts, shorts, denims and tops for girls) is simply fantastic anytime through the day, on the buffet and in most specialty eating places.

The road simply recommends a step as much as “good informal” outfits in its extra formal eating rooms and upscale specialty eating places. Consistent with Norwegian’s laid-backness, this would possibly nonetheless imply nothing greater than a crisper pair of denims, or perhaps slacks with a collared shirt, for males. Undoubtedly no want for a jacket. For ladies, slacks, denims, attire, skirts and tops will do fantastic.

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Norwegian Cruise Line loyalty program

Norwegian has a point-based frequent cruiser program, Latitudes Rewards, that has seven tiers, starting from Bronze (requiring 1 level) to Ambassador (700 factors).

Members earn factors for each evening they sail on one of many line’s ships. They get an extra level for each evening they keep in a concierge room, a set (not together with stays in minisuites, or stays in suites ensuing from an improve) or a room in The Haven. In addition they get an extra level for each evening booked by way of a Latitudes Rewards Insider Provide.

Hitting the primary tier, Bronze, takes one cruise. Reaching the second tier, Silver (20 factors), would take on the most three cruises should you’re doing seven-night journeys.

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Decrease tiers don’t deliver all that a lot by way of really priceless advantages. You’ll get issues like precedence check-in and discounted spa therapies carried out whereas ships are in port. Nonetheless, greater ranges of this system begin to be attractive.

Platinum (75 factors) brings free dinners at two extra-charge eating places, a reduction on an web package deal, behind-the-scenes ship excursions and concierge service.

The highest Ambassador stage brings a really fantastic perk: a one-time complimentary seven-night cruise in a balcony cabin. You may decide nearly any crusing besides journeys round Christmas and the brand new yr.

In distinction to airline frequent-flyer applications, cruise line loyalty applications don’t require you to requalify for standing yearly. So, sure, the perks with decrease tiers aren’t nice. Nevertheless it’s not as tough as it would at first appear to hit the extra rewarding greater tiers in only a few years should you’re cruising lots.

A passenger staying in suites and reserving by way of Latitudes Rewards Insider Affords might get to the Platinum stage with simply 4 seven-night cruises.

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How a lot does a Norwegian cruise price?

Norwegian Star in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian designs its ships to enchantment to a broad combine of individuals, partially by providing a variety of cabin varieties at various worth factors. On a typical crusing, you would possibly discover an entry-level cabin for round $100 an evening whereas a high-end suite is 5 to 10 instances that quantity.

On the time of this story’s posting, the Haven deluxe proprietor’s suite with a big balcony on Norwegian Breakaway for a seven-night Caribbean cruise in July 2024, for instance, was going for $9,802 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy. That is greater than 9 instances the price of the least costly inside cabin (which was beginning at $1,042 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy). Balcony cabins on the identical crusing began at round $1,485 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.

Notice the “primarily based on double occupancy” caveat within the above paragraph. As is typical for cruise traces, Norwegian costs on a per-person foundation, not per room, and it costs most cabins primarily based on two folks occupying a room. It does supply some cabins for solo vacationers on some ships which might be priced primarily based on single occupancy.

Normally, Norwegian’s newer ships together with Norwegian Prima and the Breakaway-class and Breakaway Plus-class vessels can be dearer than the road’s older, smaller ships. Nonetheless, there are numerous components that go into pricing for any given cruise, together with the recognition of the precise itinerary, the time of yr when the cruise is happening and altering demand traits.

As you would possibly anticipate, pricing for all ships will usually be decrease throughout offseason durations resembling September and October.

The timing of whenever you e book can even matter. Cruises e book up a lot additional upfront than airplanes or motels, and plenty of cruisers will inform you the very best pricing for any given crusing typically is offered when cruises first go on sale (which is usually a good two years earlier than a departure). Reserving far upfront may also provide the greatest probability of getting your most well-liked cabin kind and placement on a ship.

As soon as on board a Norwegian ship, you’ll pay further for many drinks, extra-charge eating places, spa providers, shore excursions, web service and some different issues — except you’ve purchased a package deal for a few of these gadgets upfront. Some onboard actions resembling go-karting additionally include an additional cost. What’s included within the fare is your lodging, meals (in non-extra-charge eating places) and most leisure.

Associated: 15 ways in which first-time cruisers waste cash on a cruise

How you can e book

If you happen to’re positive you understand what kind of cabin you need, on which ship, on which itinerary — and a couple of dozen different issues — you’ll be able to head over to ncl.com to make a reserving instantly.

That stated, given the complexity of reserving a cruise (there are numerous selections to make through the reserving course of — belief us) we advocate you employ a seasoned journey agent who focuses on cruises.

journey agent will quiz you about your explicit pursuits, journey type and preferences, and steer you to the proper cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They’ll additionally enable you if one thing goes flawed simply earlier than, throughout or after your voyage.

If you happen to’re positive Norwegian is your line, search for a journey agent who focuses on journeys with the model. You need somebody who understands all of the little quirks which might be distinctive to Norwegian’s cabin classes and, ideally, has performed ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand.

Associated: How you can e book a cruise with factors and miles

Whether or not you employ a journey agent or not, make certain to maximise your buy when paying for the cruise by utilizing a card that provides further factors for journey purchases. This may very well be the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which presents 3 Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on journey and eating (excluding the annual $300 journey credit score), or the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card, which brings 2 Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on journey and three Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on eating.

Backside line

For giant-ship lovers, Norwegian just about has all of it. There’s tons of nice leisure on Norwegian’s vessels, loads of venues for consuming and consuming, and all kinds of deck-top diversions — no less than on the road’s latest ships. Throw within the model’s low beginning costs, and it’s an much more compelling package deal.

If we’ve got a gripe with the road, it’s in regards to the “extra-charge creep” we’ve been seeing for points of interest on Norwegian ships resembling go-karts and laser tag in recent times, and the upper a la carte costs spreading throughout the road’s onboard eating places.

Then once more, you get what you pay for, because the saying goes. If you happen to’re on a decent funds, there are many included-in-the-fare selections for eating and leisure. If cash isn’t any object, you’ll be able to comply with a distinct “journey” by way of the ship, as Norwegian executives wish to say, to a much more high-end trip.

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